Željko Stanojević
Institute for Hebrew Language and Literature, Belgrade
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0717-6184
Abstract
This study presents a detailed philological and text-critical analysis of Column 5 of the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaa), focusing on orthographic variation, scribal features, and textual structure within Isaiah 5:14–6:7. The research examines patterns of spelling variation, consonantal omission, orthographic expansion, and morphological differentiation, alongside the use of matres lectionis and evidence of scribal correction.
Particular attention is given to the comparison between the Qumran text and the Masoretic Text, highlighting both orthographic divergences and more substantial textual variants. The study also includes a structured English translation of the column, aligned with the manuscript and supported by philological analysis.
Keywords
Great Isaiah Scroll; 1QIsaa; Qumran; Dead Sea Scrolls; Biblical Hebrew; Qumran Hebrew; orthography; textual criticism; scribal practices; Masoretic Text; Hebrew linguistics; Isaiah 5–6
Description
This work represents the fifth unit within a broader research project dedicated to the systematic analysis of all fifty-four columns of the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaa). Column 5 is examined through a combined philological, linguistic, and text-critical approach, with emphasis on orthographic variation, scribal intervention, and the classification of textual variants.
The analysis includes a detailed examination of the physical characteristics of the manuscript, such as the condition of the leather, lacunae, textual damage, and the preservation of written material. It further addresses scribal features, including spatia, paragraph divisions, interlinear additions, supralinear corrections, and variant readings.
Patterns of orthographic expansion, consonantal omission, and morphological variation are identified and evaluated in relation to the Masoretic Text. Special attention is given to the role of matres lectionis and their function within the linguistic system of Qumran Hebrew.
In addition to the analytical component, the work provides a structured English translation of Column 5 (Isaiah 5:14–6:7), reflecting the manuscript’s orthographic and textual features and preserving its philological integrity.
Access
Primary scholarly version (DOI):
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19502844
Open repository version (HCommons record):
https://works.hcommons.org/records/ar9rw-sez04
OSF project version:
https://osf.io/7zyqj/overview
Alternative access (Academia.edu):
https://www.academia.edu/165610883/The_Great_Isaiah_Scroll_from_Qumran_1QIsaa_Orthographic_and_Scribal_Features_Analysis_and_Translation_Column_5
Citation
Stanojević, Željko. The Great Isaiah Scroll from Qumran (1QIsaa): Orthographic and Scribal Features, Analysis, and Translation — Column 5. Zenodo, 2026. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19502844
Project Context
This study forms part of a comprehensive 54-column critical analysis of the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaa), conducted within a unified philological and methodological framework. Each column is treated as an independent analytical unit within the broader reconstruction and interpretation of the manuscript.
Related Studies
– Previous Column 4:
https://zeljkostanojevic.hcommons.org/the-great-isaiah-scroll-from-qumran-1qisaa-orthographic-and-scribal-features-analysis-and-translation-column-4/
-Next Column 6:
– Research Project Overview:
https://zeljkostanojevic.hcommons.org/the-great-isaiah-scroll-from-qumran-1qisaa-research-project-overview/